US pitches for a bigger global role for India

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) Ahead of the US elections, India and the US Monday underlined broad bipartisan support for the bilateral strategic relationship in both countries, with the US envoy pitching for a bigger role for New Delhi in the Asia-Pacific region and on the world stage.

The two sides also stressed that they are working incrementally to implement the bilateral civil nuclear deal the two sides signed three years ago.

“Trade relations are growing. It reflects our desire to proceed with arrangements for the civil nuclear deal,” US Ambassador to India Nancy Powell said here at a joint interaction with India’s Ambassador to the US Nirupama Rao.

Alluding to an upswing in bilateral ties all virtually all areas, including trade, defence, tourism and education, the US envoy said an emerging theme in bilateral relations is the US’ support for India’s growing role in the world and in the region, the United Nations and its agencies and in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We see India playing a more involved role in the Asia-Pacific,” she stressed.

Powell also lauded the contributions of the three-million-strong Indian community to the American society and their role in propelling the India-US relationship to a higher trajectory.

“We are also trying to encourage more American students to come to India, she said.

The panel discussion on “advancing a defining partnership for the 21st century,” was chaired by Ronen Sen, a former Indian envoy to the US.

Conjuring up an upbeat picture of the blossoming India-US relations, Rao, who was here to participate in the annual conclave of the Indian heads of missions, said the India-US relationship has “wide political support across the spectrum” in both countries and stressed that it will not change.

“The US has extended support to India’s membership of multilateral export regimes. We are exploring new frontiers,” she said.

The trajectory of the relationship is full of hope, energy and it has a great potential, she said while rejecting media reports of a cooling off the India-US relations in the last couple of years.